Electric toaster



Feb. 20, 1951 w. FLAJOLE 2,542,406

ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April l2, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l fa fr f Feb. 20, 1951 w. FLAJoLE 2,542,406

ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 20, 1951 w. FLAJoLE 2,542,405

ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 20, 1951 w. FLAJoLE 2,542,406

ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /5 4L@ g jj/CSI In Feb. 20, 1951 w. FLAJOLE 2,542,406

ELECTRIC TOASTER Filed April 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lidi-Ilm.

I I .1.1111111 f@ MM5/vra@ Patented Feb. 20,1951

UN PATENT OFFICE EEECTRIC TDASTER Williamllll'aiole; DetroitlfMichf. i ApplicatiunAliril' I2, 194li,V Serial No. 661,589Av itlaimsaf (Cl.';.l9'@391) This inventionf'relates' tur-Hanf' -`electric 'toaster andl more particularly awtoastern withfatoast storage and-'heat maintaining-compartment..

I-t Visl the objeotf of 'thisifinvention toprovide a f compartment forminge apart: fof-fthe JVelectric toaster wherebyf apluralityof-j pieces' of toast may-4 be* stored and "kept warmsubsequent to toasting.'Y 1 It is the object of this"invention,tolprovideV in an electric' toaster 'means-"toruniformly toasting a plurality of horizontally Spacedpiecesof bread. It is the further'object, herein toi provide means forautomaticaHyand `simul'tal'x eously ejecting the plurality ofpieces: of toast; into the-storage com# part'inentv in a stack after toasting operation. It 'l is ther furtlrerL object "olfy this.:A invention `to provide a manually compressedspringl actuated toast eectingv mechanism; together witiif a 4timer, adaptedto automatically releaserthef ejecting mechanism afterafpredetermined toasting inter; val.

Itis the further object of this inventionU to provide' a 'pluralityV ofihorizontally spaced" toast supporting'grills 'carried bythe' toaster doorgtogether with meansV forioutwardly l swinging the toast ejectors withthe grills as, the door is man. ually swung open for loading..

These and other Aobjects wilYbe seenyfrom the. following specications; andclaim's inV Vconjunction with the. appended drawingsinwhich,

Figure 1` is; a topplanuiejw!offtne.toaster and` storage compartment.`

Figure 2 is anelevational section,thereof:v on line 2-2 of Figure 1;.. l

Figure 3 is` a, partially' V'sectioned plan-view oiv the toaster Withthesectin; taken 011.1in`e-il----ly of Figure '4`.`

Figure 4,-is` an elevational.,sectinithreoieon 1inn lll-4 oi" Figure.'

Figure 5' is an elevational` view ofthe-toaster mechanism.

Figure, 61 is a ton plan. view.:therect.`

Figure '7 is. aA left. end elevational view thereon Figure 81 is :an elevational. sect1 on` thereof,` withe the sectiontaken online BAL-SAI; Eigllre'1:11..4

Figure 9 is al plan. sectionlonlline-S-ea oi; Figure 8.

Figure, l0 isK aplam section? on line lll-l0 of] Figure 8.

Figure 111 is a planrsectiom omlineflle-l l of; Figure, 8a..

It. will be. understood thatz1-itheabave'-drawings, illustrate merely one preferable-embodiment of; the invention. l and that othery embodiments: `are contemplatedwithinthe scope cit-the claims-heres after set out.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2, the electric toasteru-nit consists of a formed circular base H centrally concaved at l2 to provide a retaining platform for toaster mechanism l3, toast storage member 2'3; sugar receptacle l5, Creamer I6, andbutter dish ll.

Referringto Figures 3 and 4, the toaster mechani'sm has a, hollow baseV I3 which is substantially in the shape of a Q10-degree sector With the centrallenlarged curved projecting portion i9, which i`salso illustratedV in Figure 6.

A preferably hard. wood semi-circular toast storage platform 20 is positioned upon and withinpl'atform Il, with the underside of its central portion being undercut to form a central extension 2l which rests upon a, portion of projecting member |19 or 'toasterV base I8. A semi-circular proiecting ledge or flange 22 is also formed at the bottom of Wooden patform 2l) upon which rests the hollow formed semi-circular Plexiglas toast storage member 23.

Storage member 23 has a continuous semicircular side wall, a continuous top surface 24 andthe inner side wall surface 25. A rectangular opening 2S is` formed in aV portion of side Wall 25, with salidopening coinciding with the open discharge' side of toaster 13 which is illustrated in Figure 7. It Will be noted that side Wall portion .2'l proiectsacross the top of opening 26 as shown in'Figures 2 and 4.

Referring to Figure 3, the bread 28 to be toasted is, show-n in dotted lines. Toastv in` a stack of four-is ei'ected from toasterl I3 inthe manner hereafter described, and proiectedr throughV opening 25 in storage member 23 to the dottedline position illustratedat. 29. Four more pieces oi breadY shown in loadingposition 3l! are toasted i in the position 2liA and eiected `to the position 3|. i. e. the remaining space within storage chamber member 23;

A- third set of four slices of bread may be loaded at 3ll and toasted at 28. But due to the position of stored toast al will` notY be eiected until toast 3l -is removed, but onthe other hand will be stored. and kept Warm within toaster housing I 3.

While the.` preferable embodiment herein `illus` trates4 toasting four slices of bread at` one time witlrV facilities for: the storage of twelve pieces of toast, it is'understoodthat this is merely way of example as the principle herein described is applicable'fortoastingone ormore .pieces of toast at` a time.;

Figures` 1 and 3 `show the. electrical intake plug connections` `3'2 'for' providing electrical? energy to theffelectric resistance toasting elements hereinafter described, which are joined thereto in any convenient manner. The description hereafter relates more speciiically to the toaster I3, its construction and its operating mechanism.

Referring to Figures 5, 6 and 7, toaster I3 consists of a hollow base I8 with its holow circular projection I9. Toaster door 33 is positioned above hollow base I8 and is vertically hinged at its left edge to shaft 34 by the two bearing members 35 and 35 which are welded to said door as illustrated in Figures 8 and 10, and through which said shaft loosely projects.

As illustrated in Figures 6, 9, 10 and 11, door 33 terminates at, its right vertical edge inthe rearwardly bent portion 31 to which is secured the formed Bakelite or other heat insulating handle 38.

Wire grills 39 Figures '1, 8 and 9 to the inner wall of door 33 and project within the toaster housing I3 when the door is closed, asy illustrated in Figure 9,'for holding four slices of bread in horizontal spaced relation.

In Figure 3 the door is shown in dotted lines as swung open 90 to permit respective loading .of grills 39. The loaded grills are projected back into the toaster when thedoor isc1osed. Y

Referring to Figures 7, 8 and 10, there are a plurality of electric element supporting plates 40 which are substantially 90 sectors, and which have a peripheral downwardly projecting flange 4I which is welded or otherwise secured to the inner arcuate wall of toaster housing I3. These plates shown in plan in Figure 10 are arranged in spaced relation so that the respective grills 39 loaded with bread may be projected therebetween.

Referring to Figure l plates 48 are punched out at 42 for lightness and at 43 for carrying the resistance heating wire coils 44. Said resistance wire is spirally wound around and through the oppositely arranged spacednotches 45 which are formed within the mica support 46.

The latter are mounted upon plates 40 over openings 43 and secured theretok at their edges by the metal strips 41 which are riveted at 48 to plate 4B. Thus the resistance heating coils 44 suitably joined to, current intake connection 32, are respectively carried uponeach plate 49 in insulated relation. v.

Referring to Figures; 7, 8 and 9, shaft 34 is vertically and rotatively journaled through upper bushingr49Y which is positioned through thetop portion of toaster housing I3. Bushing 59.1oose on shaft 34 at its lower end is rotatively.jour naed within vstationary bushingrl which projects up from and is carried by toasterbase inem.- ber I9. A handle 52 is secured by pin 53 `to the upper end of shaft 34 Afor effecting rotativesetting adjustment thereof as desired. f n

Formed ejectors 54, Figures 7, 8 and 9, project through spaced transverse slots formedin shaft 34, and are maintained thereby in a horizontal position as illustrated in Figures '1 vand 8.` The latter gures show that said ejectors are positioned to be aligned Vwith the edges of the toast carried on the respectivev grills'39. Said Vejectors are adapted to forcefully project the toast from the toaster housing I3 after theprop'er toasting interval. As illustrated in Figure 3 'ejectors 54` are adapted to assume any of the four positions shown in dotted lines.

In loading, it is necessary that ejectorsj54 b e projected outwardlyY 90 so as to be in back of the bread 30. Consequently as door 33 is manually opened, means are employed hereafter'described for simultaneously turning shaft 34 90'.

4 In closing door 33 shaft 34 is returned to its initial position and ejectors 54 assume the position shown in Figure 3 relative to the bread 28.

After the toasting operation shaft 34 is rotated 180 by coiled spring 55 which is joined to the lower end of shaft 34. This places ejector 54 within the storage member 23 back of toast 29.

When the second set vof toast is prepared it is ejected into the remainingA space Within storage chamberv 23, i. e. as indicated at 3I. Here the ejectors have rotated only 90 approximately,

"with further rotational movement being pre-.-

. vented by the second stack of toast 3I engaging are secured Y' the rst stack 29.

Referring to Figure 8 the outer or free end of coil spring, 55 vis joined to the reduced lower portion 'of stationary stud 56 which is riveted at 51, and which extends downwardly within hollow toaster base I8. Nut 58 is threaded on the lower end of stud 56 to retain the spring thereon.

It will be. notedthat the `inner end of springv 55 projects within-a slot in the bottom of shaft 34 and is retained therein by snap washer 59.

Lower cam 68 secured 'to thel lower reduced end of shaft341-is operatively engagedby pawl BI which projects against thestep portion 62 of cam 68'. Pawl 6I is pivotally mounted and secured upon .the bottom end of stud 63 which depends Within hollow toaster base I8-I9.. -The upper end of-.stud 63 Aextends through the top wall of .base I8-f-I9 and is vriveted thereto.

The free end ofgpawlSI is pivotally joined at 64 rto one endof pawl release lever 65. The other end of lever 651s pivotally joined at 86 to lever 61 Whichis pivotally mounted at 68. to the underside of timer housing 59.

The timer 69 is carried within hollow base I8 by the four nutsl 18. Said timer is provided to regulate the :toasting interval, and is adapted to automatically cut oiT the electric current to the toasting elements. f

Manually actuated operating timer lever 1 I is pivotally mounted at v12 Vliaelowtimer housing 69, while its other, end projects out througha horizontal slot 13 in base I8 and has an operating handle 'I4 secured thereto. v

The inner end of timer arm 1I vhas a cam surface portion 15 with notched portions 16 and 11. Electric current fromtheresistance elements 44 travels throughthe terminals 18 and 19 which are respectively joined to Vthe contact arms. 88 and I. When theconta'cts'are together current passes through the twoterminals v18 and 19.A The timer is designed to automatically separate said contacts after apre-determined toasting interval, which is measured by the extent of the manual adjustment of timer armQ1I.v

The operating mechanism of Vthetime'r per se formr no4 part of the present invention and its description is omitted.

Timer arm 1I isvmanually and horiaontally projected tothe position shown in Figure 11, and the timingmechanism 69 permits its gradual return after a pre-determinedinterval till notched portion16 engages stoppin 82./ Y i InY the'energized position of timer arm 1I AFigure 1v1 cam surface 15 has operatively engaged the lost motion'compensating disc 83 which is alsoA pivotally mounted on lever connection. Disc 83 is positioned below lever 51, but hasra pair4 ofspaced upwardly formed,v projections 84 which are adapted ft'o' operatively engage opposite vedges of lever 61. j j j Coil spring 85Vanc'hored at one` end to'stop pin 82 is joined at itsother end 4to disc 66. atv point 86 fortnormally urging 1ever 65 to the right,y and'.

alsof urgingthe right hand projection Saga-inst the `right edge of lever 61,

Thus.` as'timer arm 1| isL projected to-jthe poi sition shown in Figure 1l,Y cam" surface .15.` operatively engages disc 83 and. pivotally projects lever |i`|v in a clock-wise direction.` Insulated member 81 at the end of lever 61 operatively engages contact; arm` 8| bending it intoV electrical contact with contact arm 80 so that electric current flows through terminals 18 and 19 and throughthe electric heating elements of thetoasteru' By the time timer 1| has automatically returned to its initial position with notch 16 engaging stop 82, disc 83 falls into notch 11 under the action of coil spring 85. A corresponding movement to the right of lever 65 is also effected, causing a clock-wise movement of pawl 6| which disengages cam 80.

At the same time that timer arm 1| is initially actuated, or just before, handle 52 on the top of shaft 34 is manually rotated 180 bringing cam 60 to the position shown in Figure '11. At the same time coil spring 55 at the bottom of shaft 34 has been compressed. Shaft 34 now under spring tension is retained against return movement by engagement of pawl 6| with the stop 62 on cam 60.

It will be remembered that toast ejectors 54 are in the position shown in Figure 3 just behind the bread being toasted. So that when the timer arm 1| returns to its initial position causing the release of pawl 6| from cam 60, it will be seen that shaft 34 under spring tension immediately revolves 180 carrying ejectors 54 which are secured to said shaft.

The toast is thus ejected from the toaster housing I3 and projected 180 to the first storage position shown within storage compartment 23 Figure 3. Handle 52 is vre-wound or turned 180 to again place shaft 34 under spring tension; where it is retained by engagement of pawl 6| with stop 62 of cam 60.

Naturally this has returned ejectors 54 180 to the initial toasting position. However, when the door 33 is opened for reloading, and grills 39 are projected outwardly 90 therewith, it is necessary that toast ejectors be also carried outwardly 90 to be behind the bread as it is loaded upon said grills.

This is accomplished by effecting a further spring compressing turning of shaft 34 an additional 90.

Referring to Figure 8 upper cam 81 is secured to shaft 34. Bushing 50 which is loose on shaft 34 is secured to door bearing member 36 so that when door 33 is rotatably opened 90, a corresponding movement of bushing 50 is effected.

Carrier 88 is welded t0 bushing 50, and pawl 89 is pivotally mounted thereunder atpoint 90.

Formed leaf spring 9| secured to carrier 88 by screws 92 resiliently engages pawl 89 for projecting the same into operative engagement with step 93 of cam 81.

As the door 33 is closed stop pin 94 which depends within housing i8, is engaged by pawl 89 and disengaged from cam 81. As carrier 88 moves outwardly with door 33 it is seen that pawl B9 also pivots outwardly, and released by pin 94 is urged by spring 9| into operative engagement with step 93 of cam 81.

Thus cam 81 is similarly turned 90 by the action of pawl 89 so that shaft 34 and its ejectors 54 are also outwardly projected as the door is opened.

It willi be noted: that: lower cam 1805 has. ka.

slh1r95 Within which: pawl 6| rides. when the door 33 is open. andclosed.. The. shaft 34 is4 retained against unwindin'gi.byl cam 81 when the door is open. And then on closing of door 33 said shaft is retainedfagainst unwinding by pawl 6|.

Having. described` my invention reference should now be had to the claims. which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:L

1. Inian electric toaster having a housing and, charging and discharge openings. therein, a plurality ofrhorizontal vertically i, spaced elements within said housing for toasting a plurality of slices of bread in horizontally spaced relation, an upright rotatable shaft positioned within said housing adjacent to and at one side of its charging opening, a closure door mounted at one vertical edge upon said shaft and positionabie across said charging opening, a plurality of horizontal vertically spaced grills lying adjacent said elements and joined to said door for in and out movements therewith relative to said charging opening, and a plurality of horizontal vertically spaced ejecting strips joined at their one ends to said shaft and engageable with said slices for projecting the same through said discharge opening.

2. In a toaster having a housing and spaced charging and discharge openings therein, a vertical shaft rotatably journaled within said housing adjacent to and at one side of said charging opening, a horizontal toast ejecting arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotation therewith, a door pivotally mounted on said shaft and positionable across said charging opening, and means on said door and rotatable therewith operatively engaging said shaft for turning the same to carry said ejecting arm outwardly of said charging opening with said door upon opening thereof.

3. In a toaster having a housing and spaced charging and discharge openings therein, a vertical shaft rotatably jcurnaled within saild housing adjacent to and at one side of said charging opening, a horizontal toast electing arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotation therewith, a door pivotally mounted on said shaft and positionahle across said charging opening, means on said door and rotatable therewith operatively engaging said shaft for turning the same to carry said ejecting arm outwardly of said charging opening with said door upon opening thereof, and a horizontal toast supporting grill within said housing and joined to said door and movable therewith for in and out movements relative to said charging opening.

Li. In a toaster having a housing and spaced charging and discharge openings therein,I a vertical shaft rotatably journaled within said housing adjacent to and at one side of said charging opening, a horizontal heating element within said housing for toasting a slice of food in horizontal position, a horizontal ejecting arm secured at one end to said shaft for rotation therewith, a door pivotally mounted on said shaft and pcsitionable across said charging opening,I a horizontal food supporting grille within said housing adjacent said element and joined to said door and movable therewith for in and out movements relative to said charging opening, a carrier plate joined to said door and loosely journaled on said 'sha-ft, a pawl pivotally mounted on said plate,

and a notched cam secured on said shaft adjacent said pawl, with said pawl operatively engageable within the notch of said cam for rotating said shaft upon opening movement of said 'door to carry said ejecting arm outwardly of said housing through said charging opening.

WILLIAM .FLAJ OLE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date DeMatteis Nov. 6, 1923 Thornton June 30, 1925 Number 8 Name Y Date Wells July 81930 Bersted Apr. 5, 1932 Y Maragos June 14, 1932 Lofgren et a1 Nov;- 29, 1932 Avery et al Dec. 12, 1933 Anderson Aug.' 21, 1934 Spange Jan. 7, 1936 Freemon Apr. 7, 1936 Benander Jan. 24, 1939 Sivley Nov. 7, 1944 Warner Mar. 6, 1945 VWales 1 Oct. 28, 1947 

